Lonnie G. Bunch III, the 14th secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, said Tuesday he will step down from the leadership of the sprawling federal cultural institution by the end of the year. Bunch announcement follows a year of open tensions with the Trump administration over how the Smithsonian portrays American history and comes as the White House has moved to reshape federal cultural institutions.
Bunch, who has worked at the Smithsonian for 38 years and became secretary in 2019, is the first Black person and the first historian to lead the institution. He said in a statement that his retirement came with mixed emotions and heartfelt gratitude and that the Smithsonian has been one of the great loves of his life. Bunch is best known for founding the National Museum of African American History and Culture, which he led from its inception before ascending to the secretary role.
The Smithsonian traditionally operates independently of the party in power, but the Trump administration has repeatedly criticized how the institution portrays America past. In March 2025, Trump issued an executive order directing Vice President JD Vance to oversee changes at Smithsonian museums. Last week, the Interior Department threatened to cut off support, alleging that Smithsonian facilities present a radical ideology that weakens shared American identity.
Bunch departure comes two months after a White House Domestic Policy Council report branded the leaders of the Smithsonian, especially at the National Museum of American History, as radical activists who cannot be trusted. Three weeks after that report, Trump ordered his administration to install signs in front of the U.S. history museum telling visitors that some of the exhibits are inaccurate. Anthea M. Hartig, the first female director of that museum, pushed back in congressional hearings, telling lawmakers the report did not fairly or accurately characterize the full body of work at the museum.
Trump does not have the authority to remove Smithsonian leadership as swiftly as he has at other institutions in Washington. The Smithsonian operates outside the executive branch, and museum directors report to the secretary, who is subject to oversight from a Board of Regents. That board includes Vice President JD Vance, Chief Justice John Roberts, a bipartisan group of lawmakers and citizen regents. Roberts, who serves as Smithsonian chancellor, praised Bunch in a statement, describing his pursuit of excellence in the telling of the American story and saying the regents look forward to working with him in the coming months to ensure a smooth transition. Bunch will remain in the role through the end of the year, and the Board of Regents will begin a search for his successor.
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